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Monday, 9 January 2012

PLAYING STREET FIGHTER

I get tons of mail about what kind of things to practice and/or what techniques to work on to improve execution. I originally intended this to be simple, visual examples of plinking (both timing and frequency of use) but it soon turned into something hopefully a little more interesting. Also, I haven't had access to a camera for a little while and since now I do, I wanted to do something with direct feed + actual inputs.

Read On!

By far the most difficult clips to capture were the final 2, in which many, many 1 frame links are required but plinking can not be used, as LP has no button of a lower priority (other than select/back) and plinking standing LK will result in a throw.

Combo by Combo rundown...

Akuma: Lots of cr.MP plinking (using LP). This is a great way to improve timing and general plinking technique. It's just as effective if you do the same with Ryu too.

Dictator: Lots of cr.LK plinking, using LP. Also includes some tight, unplinkible LP links.

Gief: LPs and a standing 720.

Honda 1: LK plinks and 3 finger HHS techniques. Honda has to walk forward after the first set in order for the rest to combo.

Oni: Standing MP plinks, again using LP. Fairly standard but another great practice exercise to improve technique.

E.Ryu: A combo from my first E.Ryu video. Plinking cr/st. MP and st.HP. This makes his pre/post overhead kick combos more manageable

Akuma: Generally massively difficult. The timing on all 3 air fireballs is very tight, as is the positioning and timing on the st.HK, st.LP (which must be meaty), st.HK, cr.HK. Plinking is used wherever it is possible.

Chun Li: A variation on her standard corner infinite vs crouching Chun Li. Much more difficult, especially the charge timing but definitely more fun and interesting. The cr.HP are always carefully plinked, as they can easily go wrong

Cammy: The cr.MP near the begininning of this combo will only connect if Cammy walks forward between the first and second st.MPs. The middle section is standard but she must also walk forward between every st.LP during the final section in order for the cr.MK to connect.

Hyper Difficulty section!

Honda2: Annoyingly I had to actually practice this one a bunch before I was able to capture it, as the techniques involved are so specific (and frustratingly difficult at first). Several EX.HHS buffering techniques are demonstrated here, using the default button layout (with PPP+KKK macros).

The first is simply plikning LP (after cr.MK), quickly rolling across the buttons and mashing all three punches. The 2nd is kind of a trick shot way of doing it. Using the first finger on your left hand to hit the 1-frame jab, then hitting PPP, HP, MP, HP with 3 fingers of the right hand, the final button press activating EX.HHS.

The 3rd is the most interesting and practical, in which you actually pre-buffer the hands before even hitting the cr.LP link. You can just hit any punch 3 times (3 P-inputs), hit the link (4th P-input) then hit any other 2 punches together (the 5th and final P input, activating EX.HHS).

DJ: 9 1-frame links without any plinking. Probably the most difficult combo in the video and definitely one of the most difficult I've ever forced myself to complete. Aside from the ridiculous timing required and figuring the right combiation of EX.fireballs and regular ones to maximize forward movement, there's not much else to say. I had to figure the subtelties of this out while being estranged from the internet but I'm sure Majestros did some similar and awesome DJ combo soon after Super was released. Even though that's hella old now I'm almost certain it was still better than this.

Whenever I plink I use my ring and middle finger, no matter what button I'm hitting. I've read that it's "better" to plink with middle and index. Do you think it's a preference thing or one is actually better than the other?

Street Fighter's cartoon graphics sit in direct contrast with the more realistic characters found on Mortal Kombat. However, both games are fantasy-based with characters displaying amazing powers and special moves. Both games involved the player selecting a character to fight his or her way to the final and win the tournament. coc hack